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Marin Community Foundation

Annual Giving
$140.2M
Grant Range
$50K - $3.0M
Decision Time
3mo
Success Rate
38%

Marin Community Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $140.2 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: 38% (Community Power Initiative: 80 of 209 applicants funded)
  • Decision Time: Varies by program
  • Grant Range: $50,000 - $3,000,000 (multi-year)
  • Geographic Focus: Marin County, California (primarily)
  • Assets Under Management: $4.2 billion (as of October 2025)

Contact Details

Marin Community Foundation 5 Hamilton Landing, Suite 200 Novato, CA 94949

  • Phone: 415.464.2500
  • Fax: 415.464.2555
  • Website: www.marincf.org
  • Grant Center: grantcenter.marincf.org
  • Hours: 9am – 4pm, Monday - Friday

For Grant Inquiries: Contact staff directly through the directory at marincf.org/inside-mcf/our-people/our-staff or call the main number.

Social Media: Facebook (@marin.community.foundation), Instagram (@marincommunityfdn), LinkedIn

Overview

Founded in 1986, the Marin Community Foundation (MCF) has distributed more than $3 billion in grants since its inception, with over $1 billion going specifically to Marin nonprofits and schools. With $4.2 billion in assets under management and $140.2 million in annual giving (2023), MCF is one of the largest community foundations in the United States. The foundation's mission is to "mobilize the power of community and the resources of philanthropy to advance equity for people, places, and the planet."

Under the leadership of President & CEO Rhea Suh (appointed 2021), MCF has undergone a strategic transformation, shifting from annual project-specific grants to multi-year general operating support. The foundation administers the Buck Family Fund, which provides approximately $25-30 million annually specifically for Marin County residents. MCF holds Candid Gold Transparency (2024) and Charity Navigator's highest rating (100/100). In 2024, Dr. Thomas Peters, who led the foundation for over 22 years, announced his retirement after establishing MCF as a national leader in community-driven philanthropy.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Power Initiative (Launched 2024)

  • $30 million over three years ($10 million annually)
  • Multi-year general operating support grants
  • 82 organizations funded (73 individual organizations + 9 collaboratives)
  • Grant range: $50,000 - $3,000,000 over three years
  • Major recipients include Canal Alliance ($3M), Marin Child Care Council ($2M), 10,000 Degrees ($1.9M), Homeward Bound of Marin ($1.8M), North Marin Community Services ($1.2M), and Ritter Center ($1M+)
  • Application method: Open Request for Proposals (RFP)

Strategic Initiatives (Buck Family Fund - $25-30M annually)

  1. Affordable Housing & Homelessness: Producing housing, preserving existing units, protecting tenants, and preventing/resolving homelessness
  2. Climate Justice Initiative: Strengthening vulnerable communities affected by climate change and positioned to benefit from federal/state climate funding
  3. Building Resilient Communities: Focus on climate resilience and community protection

Additional Programs

  • Food on Every Table Fund: Addressing food insecurity across Marin County
  • Nature-Based Adaptation Solutions: Environmental grants ranging $150,000-$190,000
  • Donor-Advised Funds: 570+ donors can recommend grants to registered nonprofits worldwide
  • Event Sponsorships: Support for nonprofit fundraising events in Marin County

Priority Areas

MCF prioritizes organizations serving Marin County's most marginalized communities, particularly in:

  • Geographic focus areas: the Canal in San Rafael, Marin City, West Marin, and pockets of Novato
  • Youth Services: Mental health, education (TK-5th grade arts), child care, physical fitness
  • Social Services: Legal assistance for low-income and immigrant populations, older adult care, food security
  • Housing: Affordable housing development, homelessness prevention and resolution
  • Environmental Justice: Climate adaptation, nature-based solutions
  • Arts and Culture: Equitable access to arts education and programming

Organizations most likely to succeed demonstrate:

  • Leadership experiencing or adjacent to issues they address
  • Service to geographically, socioeconomically, or racially segregated communities
  • Equity at the center of their missions
  • Organizational budgets ranging from under $200,000 to over $75 million (inclusive of all sizes)

What They Don't Fund

While MCF did not publish specific exclusions, their focus on Marin County residents and equity-driven work serving marginalized communities provides clear parameters. Organizations primarily serving populations outside Marin County or without explicit equity missions are less likely to align with current priorities.

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Rhea Suh | President & CEO (since 2021)

  • 25+ years in philanthropy, environmental policy, and public service
  • Former third president of Natural Resources Defense Council
  • Former Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management, and Budget at U.S. Department of the Interior under President Obama
  • Education: B.S. Environmental Science (Barnard College), M.A. Education Administration (Harvard University), Fulbright Fellow to Seoul

On her vision: "My life's ambitions are uniquely in synch with MCF's mission and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to explicitly pursue the conjoined goals of equity, justice, prosperity and sustainability through the lens of place, and with the focus on people."

On the Community Power Initiative: "This is an historic moment at MCF...an explicit way for MCF to relinquish some of its power to those doing the hard work in community."

Jason Blau | Chief Strategy Officer

  • Over 15 years of philanthropic strategy experience
  • Previously Director and partner at Redstone strategy firm

Michelle DePass | Chief Community Impact Officer

  • Lawyer and social activist; former EPA Assistant Administrator under President Obama
  • Former President & CEO of Meyer Memorial Trust (Oregon)

Vikki Garrod | Chief of Staff & Communications

Saul Macias | Chief People & Place Officer

Lauren McClelland | Chief Financial Officer

  • Certified Public Accountant with 10+ years at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Board Structure

In their strategic transformation, MCF consolidated two boards (MCF Board of Directors and Buck Family Fund Board) into a single 11-person board to streamline decision-making while expanding diversity of voices through expanded committee participation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Strategic Initiative Grants (Community Power Initiative and Similar Programs)

MCF uses open Request for Proposals (RFP) processes for major initiatives:

  • Applications submitted through online portal
  • Open RFP model represents a shift from invitation-only historical practice
  • The Community Power Initiative received 209 applications requesting over $47 million for the first $10 million allocation

For Donor-Advised Fund Opportunities

Nonprofits worldwide can register through MCF's nonprofit profile form at marincf.org/marin-community/how-we-support-nonprofits/nonprofit-profile-form. Registration makes organizational information accessible to MCF's Philanthropic Partnerships team working with 570+ donors.

For Other Programs

Organizations should:

  1. Monitor the Grant Center at grantcenter.marincf.org for new opportunities
  2. Contact staff directly through the directory at marincf.org/inside-mcf/our-people/our-staff
  3. Call 415.464.2500 for program-specific inquiries
  4. Submit inquiries through the online contact form at marincf.org/inside-mcf/contact

Decision Timeline

Community Power Initiative Timeline:

  • RFP announced: Early 2024
  • Applications received: 209 submissions
  • Decisions announced: June 2024
  • Multi-year funding: Three-year grants with annual disbursements

General Timeline: Varies by program. MCF has historically operated on annual grant cycles but is transitioning to multi-year funding models to reduce administrative burden on nonprofits.

Success Rates

Community Power Initiative: 38% success rate (80 organizations funded from 209 applications)

Overall Grantmaking: In 2023, MCF awarded 1,236 grants totaling $140,159,388, demonstrating substantial grantmaking capacity across multiple programs.

Reapplication Policy

MCF's shift to multi-year general operating support reduces the need for annual reapplications. For the Community Power Initiative, organizations receive three-year funding commitments. For organizations not selected in competitive processes, MCF has not published specific waiting periods, but their historical approach allowed annual reapplications. Organizations are encouraged to contact program staff for guidance.

Application Success Factors

What MCF Values (Based on Community Power Initiative Insights)

  1. Community Proximity and Lived Experience: Successful organizations demonstrated leadership "experiencing or adjacent to the issues they address." MCF prioritizes organizations deeply embedded in the communities they serve.

  2. Organizational Diversity: MCF funded organizations across the spectrum—from newly founded nonprofits with budgets under $200,000 to established organizations with budgets over $75 million. Size and tenure are less important than impact and community connection.

  3. Geographic Reach Within Marin: Applications came from "every corner of the county," with special attention to underserved areas: the Canal in San Rafael, Marin City, West Marin, and pockets of Novato.

  4. Equity-Centered Missions: The "unifying factor" among successful applicants was "a commitment to serving communities facing profound challenges with equity at the center of their missions."

  5. Collaborative Capacity: Nine collaboratives were funded, including two newly formed during the application process. MCF values organizations willing to work together to maximize impact.

  6. Flexibility and Responsiveness: Organizations positioned to use general operating support to "address evolving community needs with greater autonomy and long-term stability" aligned with MCF's goals.

Strategic Alignment Tips

  • Emphasize General Operating Needs: MCF has explicitly moved away from program-specific funding toward unrestricted support that gives organizations flexibility.

  • Demonstrate Community Leadership: Show that your leadership team includes individuals with lived experience related to the issues you address.

  • Highlight Equity Work: "Equity" is central to MCF's mission. Applications should clearly articulate how equity is embedded in organizational values and practices.

  • Consider Collaborations: MCF actively funded collaboratives in the Community Power Initiative. Organizations willing to partner may strengthen their applications.

  • Show Geographic Impact in Priority Areas: If serving the Canal, Marin City, West Marin, or underserved Novato neighborhoods, emphasize this geographic focus.

From Rhea Suh on What MCF Seeks

Suh emphasized that MCF seeks to "relinquish some of its power to those doing the hard work in community," prioritizing trust-based philanthropy over restrictive, top-down grantmaking. The foundation values:

  • Organizations working at the grassroots level
  • Leaders with authentic community connections
  • Grantees who can use flexible funding strategically
  • Partners working toward "equity, justice, prosperity and sustainability through the lens of place"

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. MCF Has Transformed Its Approach: The foundation shifted dramatically in 2021-2024 from annual, project-specific grants to multi-year general operating support. Understand this trust-based philanthropy model when crafting applications.

  2. Geographic Focus Is Critical: While MCF serves beyond Marin County through donor-advised funds, Buck Family Fund strategic initiatives focus specifically on Marin County residents, particularly in underserved communities.

  3. Equity Must Be Central: Every successful Community Power Initiative applicant had "equity at the center of their missions." This is not peripheral—it's foundational to MCF's current strategy.

  4. Size Doesn't Matter—Impact Does: MCF funded organizations with budgets from under $200,000 to over $75 million. Small, emerging nonprofits have equal opportunity if they demonstrate community impact.

  5. Community Power Initiative Set a Precedent: With 38% success rate and unprecedented open RFP model, this initiative signals MCF's direction. Future programs will likely follow similar principles: open access, multi-year support, equity focus, and general operating grants.

  6. Register for Donor-Advised Fund Opportunities: Beyond competitive grants, MCF's 570+ donors recommend grants. Registering your nonprofit profile expands visibility to this broader funding network.

  7. Relationship Building Matters: While MCF now offers open RFPs, connecting with staff through the directory, attending community events, and demonstrating alignment with strategic priorities strengthens positioning for future opportunities.

References

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